Senses
by Xirysa
Summary: FE7 KentLyndis An exploration in the relationship of a lady and her knight with the aid of the five fundamental senses. COMPLETE. Author's Note: I challenge you readers to this same challenge of writing the senses! Any pairing, any fandom.
1. Touch

**Xirysa Says:** Random idea that's been floating around my head for a while. Mostly because there's not enough KentLyn in this world. Or the internet... :D Well, this part is really a ficlet...  
As a side note... I really liked this pairing before, but the amazing writing of **Kitten Kisses** has me inspired. So... This series will switch in POV and each part will most likely not be related to another, but... I hope it's not too confusing. Have a nice day! Oh, and as usual, I am (and will always be) the tactician in my fics. If one appears at all. So... Yes. I do believe that is it... Mm... Enjoy!

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Senses  
Part One: Touch

They lay together side by side on the bed as sunlight streamed through the open wind. Her back was to him, knees curled up as far as they could go. One arm pillowed her head while her long green hair fanned out over the pillow and tickled his face. His bare chest rubbed gently against the soft skin of her back as his chin fit into the curve formed by her neck and shoulder. He tightened his grip around her waist as she turned to face him. She opened sleepy eyes and smiled at his dozing features, gently running a hand through his soft red hair when she became aware of the comforting weight of his arm around her waist. He stirred and slowly opened bleary eyes, face breaking into a small smile when he saw her calm green eyes looking into his own brown ones. Bringing his hand up to her cheek, he briefly brushed his lips against her own before pulling back.

Their legs were entwined beneath the thin sheets that covered them. She shifted her legs and he shivered at the touch. She giggled at his response and at the soft red hairs that ticked her bare legs. He smiled and kissed her forehead lovingly before stretching and getting off of their bed. She sighed, but soon followed suite, tying a colorful woven band out of her face. He pulled on a worn woolen shirt, the coarse material scratching his skin. He turned to leave the room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Smiling, he faced her and placed a calloused hand on her swollen abdomen. He could feel little kicks and thumps beat a steady rhythm on the palm of his hand.

-x-x-x-

The sun beat down on the back of his neck relentlessly. He felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his face and sighed. He stood up straight and stretched his back; sowing the earth really put a strain on one's body. He unhooked his horse from the tiller and led it to the shade of a nearby tree. He walked to the stream and brought back a bucket of water for the horse and a canteen of the liquid for himself. Giving the water to his faithful mare, he sat at the base of the tree and closed his eyes. When he opened them a few moments later, he was face to face with the round belly of his wife.

She held a bowl of broth and some fruit in her hands. He stood up and took the items from her, placing them next to his canteen. She sat down slowly and gingerly, hand against the trunk of the tree to keep her balance. She sat down and groaned. He quickly sat down beside her, concern written across his face. She turned to face him and grabbed his hand, placing it on her stomach with an oddly girlish laugh. He relaxed and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she sighed contentedly and rested her head on his strong, broad shoulder and smiled, arms wrapped around his waist. Her touch was soft and gentle. He felt his eyes grow heavy and gave in to the temptation. Husband and wife sat in the shade of the tree, lulled to sleep by the constant staccato inside her womb.

-x-x-x-

It was evening; the work for the day was done. Wiping of the sweat that had collected on his brow, he walked up to the door of their house and placed his worn leather boots at its entrance. His bare feet made little sound as he walked through the house. Stopping in front of a closed door, he paused for a moment before entering the room.

She sat on the floor with a toddler with dark red hair and startling emerald eyes. The child's hands were pressed on her mother's womb, eyes wide in wonder as they felt movement underneath the cloth and flesh. The toddler looked up and smiled; she left her mother and ran to him with a cry. He smiled and crouched down, laughing when the momentum of her charge bowled him over. He sat upright and pulled the child into his lap, tickling her relentlessly. His wife struggled to stand up and did so. The child shrieked with glee, and her mother couldn't help but join in on the laughter. After a few minutes, the tickle war was over and the child lay dozing in his lap. He chuckled and stood up, carefully carrying his daughter to her small cot on the other side of the room. She followed him slowly, hands on the small of her back as she struggled to keep her balance. He placed her on the small mattress, pulling the thin blanket over her tiny body. She brushed the hair out of her eyes lovingly, and he bent down and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. The child smiled and mumbled in her sleep.

Kent stepped back and wrapped a comforting arm around his wife's waist as they gazed at their sleeping daughter. Lyn looked up at him and smiled. Standing on tip-toe, she planted a small kiss on his lips and gave her husband a small, knowing smile.

It was these little touches throughout the day that made their lives on the plains together so much better.

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**Xirysa Says:** You would NOT believe how difficult it was to write this. Seriously. Staying with the sense of touch... But it was a nice challenge for me. Either way... I've always entertained the idea of Kent being a father; I actually think that he would be quite good at it. And Lyn as a mother seems just natural to me. As to the number of children... Somehow I always thought at least two, maybe three. Eh, that's just my thought.  
Constructive criticism is mucho appreciated; there's some parts that don't really flow, in my opinion.


	2. Hearing

**Xirysa Says:** Thank you for the wonderful reviews! In particular, I would like to thank **Kitsilver** and **Kitten Kisses** for their critiques. Hmm... So... Oh, I wrote this just after coming home from dance class, so there's probably going to be a lot of dance/music references in this. And the person speaking is my Madelyn, daughter of Kent and Lyn. I just thought that writing from a child's point of view would be pretty interesting (I'm guessing she's around... Oh, seven or eight years old? So that, according to the timeline in my head, puts the story about twelve or thirteen years after the end of Fire Emblem 7.) Oh, and even though I know I said that the pieces of this fic probably won't correspond to each other, I'm sticking in the child Lyn was pregnant with in "Touch". I named him Massar, just because I can (and it sounds semi-Sacaen), and he's probably five or six here. Erm... Enough with the character intros for these two little people... On with the fic!

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Senses  
Part Two: Hearing

They both sound so different, it's really easy to tell them apart. Even if you can't see them, you definitely know who is who.

The way Papa talks always makes me think of a turtle. He doesn't talk often, but when he does, it's always as if he's hiding something, like a turtle in his shell. But then Mama... Mama, well, she's like a yummy piece of fruit that makes Papa Turtle poke his head out of his shell. I told them that once. We were sitting outside on the plains, watching the sunset. Me and Mama and Papa and Massar. I told them how I sometimes thought that Papa was a turtle and Mama was sweet like fruit. My Mama, she looked at me and started to laugh. Even Papa smiled. She said that Papa always did have a hard time trying to say what he wanted before they started laughing again.

When Mama laughs, she chirps like a little bird. Sweet and clear. Sometimes she's quiet when she laughs, like when my baby brother was born. Other times she's loud. Especially when it's Papa who makes her laugh. Her voice sounds so nice and quiet. Soft. I think that it's really pretty.

But my Papa... I always think of thunder whenever he laughs because it's so sudden. He's usually a very quiet person. But thunder can be quiet too, and it's not always scary. Like when he's outside working - he'll laugh when his old horse does something silly. But that's his quiet laugh. He's usually with one of us when he makes what I call his big laugh. Most of the time, though, he's with Mama. He'll sneak up behind her and grab her around the waist and spin her around really fast. They both laugh then, and they don't seem like my parents anymore. They sound younger and, in a really weird way, happier too.

They really do.

Sometimes, when my parents think that me and Massar are asleep, they stay up and talk for a long time. I don't know what they talk about, but sometimes Mama cries. It sounds like someone dropped little pearls on silk whenever she does. But Papa doesn't like seeing her cry. He'll hold her and whisper to her, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. He doesn't sound like thunder when he does this, though. His voice makes the same sound as the wind when it blows through the long grass on the plains. Soft and quiet, nice and calm. Mama will stop crying after a little while, and then they sleep.

They can sing too. Mama's voice is high and clear, like bells. Papa's voice is low and soft and makes me think of drums. When they sing alone, it always sounds like something is missing. But when they're together... It sounds just like music. Pretty, pretty music that swirls and spins and makes you smile and makes you just want to dance. And when Massar and me dance, we all laugh with each other and have a really fun time.

My parents are also really good at using their voices to tell stories. Sometimes, when the weather is really bad outside, the four of us will sit inside. I sit with Mama, and she braids my long red hair. I always wish that my hair was as long as hers, though. Massar will sit in Papa's lap while Papa plays with his short green hair. Then Massar and me will start asking them to tell us a story. They always do. My favorite story is true one; Papa told me that when he first told it to us. It's about a knight who fell in love with a girl who turned out to be a princess. They went on many adventures together before they realized that they truly loved each other and got married.

When ever I hear this story, my Mama and Papa use their voices and words so well that I can almost _see_ what is happening. I can hear swords and axes hitting each other so hard it sounds almost painful. The sound of the horses neighing sounds almost real. The screams that the enemies make when they die scares me so much I have to hide my face in Mama's chest until that part is over. I always wondered who the princess and the knight were. Mama and Papa told me that I'd meet them one day. I really hope I do. But until then...

I still don't understand, though, how two voices that are so different can sound so perfect together. Maybe it's love.

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**Xirysa Says: **Wow... That came out a heck of a lot shorter than I had intended. A lot crappier too. Writing from the point of view of a kid is kinda hard, actually... Oh well. I had fun doing this. Erm... Constructive criticism is really appreciated!  
On a side note... This started out as "sight", changed to "smell", went to "hearing" and changed back to "smell" before I decided what I wanted to do. And I KNOW that I messed up with tenses in at least 12472384728357 different spots... Hoo boy...


	3. Sight

**Xirysa Says:** Wow... You wouldn't believe how hard it is to write these. To top it of, the internet in my house got all wonky so I couldn't update when I wanted to. We fixed it, but I couldn't get to to work on my laptop. So... I'm on the main computer. And I can't access any of my work from here. Bahh. This sucks, man. It really does. Well... Enough angsting. Oh, I'm in this one! Well, tactician me is. Yeah, I know I can be pretty blunt. And ADD. Really ADD. Anyway... Yeah, most of the men in the army are sexy beasts (even though Heath is mine), so I did end up putting some shirtlessness in there. Is that even a word? Oh well. Onwards we go!

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Senses  
Part Three: Sight

They were both so oblivious I found it ridiculous.

I had noticed it as soon as I had seen them again. It was my job as tactician, after all. To be observant and notice the small, subtle things. But with those two, it was far from subtle. Nearly everyone could see it. Even _Serra_ mentioned it to me a couple of times! If Serra noticed it, then it was obvious that their feelings for each other were very strong. You could see it in their eyes.

The way he watched her was actually quite adorable. The way he acted always reminded me of a lost little puppy. Following her every movement with those earth brown eyes of his. If she smiled, he too would smile softly to himself. Whenever she got angry (which was quite often), his gaze would immediately steel over as he searched for the one who had made her upset. Sometimes she would recall painful memories and would become upset; he was the only one who could comfort her.

She would stare at him when he was training. Coincidentally, that also happened to be the only time he didn't watch her. I watched her do this before I questioned her. When I asked her about staring at him, she blushed and mumbled something about admiring his swordplay before running off to talk with Florina. Her reaction always amused me.

I used to tease her all the time whenever I caught her staring at him. Especially in Nabata, where the weather was uncomfortably warm for those who weren't used to it. It had gotten to the point where everyone had taken off their armor and some clothes to the point of decency. The men were lucky; they were able to take of their shirts as well. Even Sir I-am-the-knight-commander-of-Caelin-and-must-always-be-proper did. Of course, Sain and Wil almost ripped it off of him when he nearly passed out from the heat. She had dragged Priscilla and her Mend staff over with her and had stood by with a canteen of water in her hands, the expression on her face frightened and concerned. I felt so bad for Priscilla.

The rest of the march in the desert was uneventful, although I did notice that they were walking very close to each other. When I questioned her, she said that it was because she was afraid he would pass out again. He blushed so hard his _hair_ seemed pale. I shrugged and continued discussing desert battle tactics with Hector and Eliwood while discreetly observing the two. I saw her staring at his shoulders and chest and (impressive) abs and could barely contain my laughter. Poor Eliwood. He must have thought that I had lost my sanity.

They could be seen together quite a lot after our incident in the desert. Always within a couple of feet of each other. It was starting to get really hard to not see how each felt about the other. It seemed like everyone knew about their relationship except those involved. It really was ridiculous.

The day we beat Nergal finally arrived. After traveling with Eliwood for one year, three months, two weeks, and six days (not that I was counting), our journey was over. Imagine my surprise when I saw her throw herself at him and kiss him full and hard on the mouth as soon as the battle was over. Alright, not that surprising. But I was surprised when I saw him pull her closer and return aforementioned kiss with great enthusiasm. I'm pretty sure that my mouth must have dropped all the way to the floor because Heath later told me that I looked like a gaping fool. I remember punching him for that.

After that day, we all went our separate ways. They told me they were going to Sacae to live their together and asked me to stop by and see them on my travels. I told them I would, and jokingly told them to send me word when their first child was born. They both blushed and I laughed. But...

They must have remembered, for in my hands I hold a letter announcing the birth of the first child of Kent and Lyndis.

Maybe they weren't as oblivious as I thought.

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**Xirysa Says:** Oh snap that turned out so different from what I had planned. Sight really was a hard one to do. Still... I think that even though this one isn't my best (I like Touch the best as of now), it was somewhat decent. Writing it from your own point of view helps a lot as well. As always, constructive crit and reviews are much loved!


	4. Smell

**Xirysa Says:** First, I want to thank everyone for the awesome reviews. They really helped me to work on this. I'm talking summer school gym to make room for some biology classes I want to take next year, so I'm a bit unmotivated. Alright, so a lot. But... Thanks to you guys, I'm working again! Alright, so this one here takes place just after the events of FE7, before Caelin is given to Ostia . Erm... Right. Yeah. That's it. Enjoy the wonderful olfactory-centric part of this!

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Senses  
Part Four: Smell

The scent of roses permeates the air of the garden. I stare at the Pegasus knight in front of me, my jaw hanging open. I must look like a fool, but I don't care.I can't believe what I am hearing. The Knight Commander of Caelin had been seen hugging a woman? Impossible! I laugh and shrug it off, but notice Florina looking at me with concern in her eyes. I joke and tell her that I am happy he has found someone to love, and turn around to walk inside, leaving a very confused Florina behind me. Honestly, the thought amuses me, but I cannot help but feel somewhat discontented.

Am I jealous?

I shake my head and follow the aroma of fresh bread to the Castle kitchens. I'm not jealous; I can't be! I have the proud blood of Sacae in my veins! We of the plains do not feel such petty emotions! And yet...

I enter the main kitchen and find it empty. Evidently, the chefs and bakers of the castle are using the smaller kitchens in the back of the castle. But that does not bother me. I find a basket of sweet bread on a table and lean over it. I take a deep breath and let the soft scent tickle my nose. I am about to reach a hand into the basket to break off part of the loaf when I smell the familiar musk of sweat and horse followed by the sound of footsteps. And a new smell, a perfume of sweet flowers. I turn around quickly and nearly fall over.

He stands in the doorframe of the kitchen with a smile on his face and a warmth in his eyes I have never seen before. He has taken off his armor and wears only a thin tunic, riding pants, and sturdy pair of leather boots. I have never seen him so calm before, but that is not what draws my attention to the sight in front of me. All I can see at the moment is the girl hanging onto his arm.

She is quite pretty lass. Very beautiful. Her thick hair such a dark red it is almost brown and flows down her back quite gracefully. Her eyes are a deep brown, and sparkle with an intelligence rarely seen in women. Her clothes, although those of a commoner, suit her figure very well. Her face is like a doll, with fine, delicate features. I can see how he could have fallen for her.

She curtsies deeply and I nod my head stiffly. Forgetting the bread, I mutter something about visiting with Ostian dignitaries and rush out of the room. I run down the hall until I approach the older section of the castle. The halls smell dank and musty with mold, and it is here I stop. I lean against the cool wall and tell myself that I am not jealous. I am simply a concerned friend. I repeat this over and over again until I am unsure how much time has passed.

Satisfied, I walk back down the hall and head towards my own chambers. I pass by his room on the way to mine and find the door slightly open. My curiousity is instantly peaked. I glance around and see no one in the halls. I silently enter the room and look around.

The first thing I notice is the smell. It is the clean, sharp scent of fresh grass and flowers. It turns out to be a vase of wildflowers on the desk by the window. A card hs been tied to the stem of a particularly beautiful blossom. _To my favorite solidier, with all my heart. _He must be seeing someone.

I am suddenly very angry. I head towards the door, but stop when I pass by a chest of drawers. I throw the doors open and pull out a well worn shirt and press it to my face. The scent of sweat and horse and metal and flowers and _him_ enters my nose and I feel a sense of betrayal tugging at my heart. Tossing the shirt onto the well-made bed, I quickly leave the room and walk at a brisk pace towards my own room at the other end of the castle.

A myriad of scents pass me as a I walk: the scent of blood on the weapons of soldiers who have just come back from dealing with bandits, the smell of sweat as I pass the window overlooking the field where the troops train, the musk of the dogs who live in the kennel just outside the courtyard, the aroma of dinner wafting from the kitchen. These are the scents that fill my days in Caelin and I think nothing of them. Even now, there is only one smell I can remember, and although it is pleasent I wish it were the equivalent to rotting garbage in the gutter. The perfume of that lovely young woman, the one he looked at with such tenderness and love. It drives me crazy.

What makes me even more angry is that I cannot name the strange feeling stirring in the depths of my heart.

I am about to turn into the corridor that leads to my quarters when I feel someone grab my wrist. I spin around and find my self staring into a familiar woolen brown shirt. I unconsciously take a deep breath; the aroma of sweet bread, flowers, fruit, and his own unique musk flood my senses and make my head spin. I quickly pull myself together and push myself away. He lets go of my wrist and I cross my arms defiantly across my chest. I look at him expectantly.

"...Milady, I can explain..." He trails of and looks at me with a hopeless expression in his eyes. I sign and close my eyes. When I open them again, he is still standing there, and I allow myself to give him a small smile.

"Fine. Explain." I say the words quickly, afraid I might change my mind.

"Milady... That girl you saw... I do not know how she could have offended you. She sends you her deepest apologies. Lady Lyndis, she is my sister." He looks at me with eyes expressing the most sincere apologies. Eyes the same as hers.

I suddenly feel very foolish. It was nothing. I merely had a tantrum. I acted like a child. I laugh, and he gives me a small smile. I turn to go back to my room when a thought suddenly enters my mind. I walk up to him and stare him in the eye. He looks dutifully back. He opens his mouth to say something, but before he can I quickly stand up on tip toe and quickly kiss him full on the mouth.

I stand back and allow myself a small moment of satisfaction before entering my quarters and locking the door behind me.

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**Xirysa Says: **Wow... That had a weird ending. But I always liked writing in present tense. Anways, as always, please review! Crit is much appreciated and... Oh, I said this on my dA account, but I challenge all of you readers with this similar challenge of writing the five senses. Any pairing, any fandom. Just let me know; I would love to read them (or see them, if you decide to draw). Anyways... Only one more to go! YEAH! Thanks for reading!


	5. Taste

Wow... Last one of these...Snap, this was a fun challenge. I'd like to thank all of you readers for keeping up with this until the end, and for all the support and criticism you guys gave me. I really appreciate it!And now, without further ado, I present you with the final installment of _Senses_.

Xirysa Says:

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Senses  
Part Five: Taste

Two figures sit on the hard, packed earth of the plains, a fire crackling merrily a few feet in front of them. A man and a woman, both at peace with the world and everything in it.

He is lying down, legs extended and arms pillowing his head. His auburn hair is shaggy and hangs down to his shoulders, while his brown eyes stare up at the inky blackness above him. She sits next to him, knees up to her chest and one arm wrapped protectively around them as her other hand played with the hair that falls into his eyes. A long, forest green plait hangs down her back and curls around her feet. Her own dark eyes are filled with love and kindness. He looks to her face and smiles. She gives him a questioning look.

"I was remembering something," he replies in response to her gaze. His eyes look into hers for a few moments before turning back to the sky before him

"What was it?" She stops playing with his hair and looks at him expectantly. She can tell that this is going to be a good story.

He props himself up on one elbow and turns to face her. "Do you remember after we left the Dread Isle how unhappy everyone was?" She nods and frowns as the memories rush back. He continues with his tale.

"Lady Xirysa tried to get everyone to cheer up. Do you remember the game she and Rebecca made up? We picked a random name from a list she gave us, and we were to pick a fruit that reminded us of that person."

Her eyes light up at the memory and she giggles. "Of course I do! I picked Hector - I remember telling him he was just like a rotten grape, all disgusting and bitter. Oh, he chased me around camp for so long after that, I'll never forget."

He smiles. "Yes, Sain told me that I was a bright orange lemon. Too sour and cross. I always thought that I was much sweeter than that."

She turns to him expectantly. "Well? Who did you pick? Tell me, tell me!"

She reminds him of a young child who has walked in on an important discussion between two adults. He gives a small laugh in reply. "Not telling."

She glares at him and shoves him. She is about to pull away when he grabs her shoulders and pulls her down on top of him. He chuckles when she lets out an indignant squeak and begins to laugh heartily at the scowl on her face. Their faces are inches away from each other.

They lay there on the grass for a few minutes, not speaking or moving. Suddenly, he speaks.

"I picked you, my sweet little strawberry." He leans up and kisses her softly on the lips. She responds to the gesture eagerly, but pulls back a moment later.

"Sain was right. You do taste sour."

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**Xirysa Says: **Oh. Wow. It's done... That's a big accomplishment for me. It really is. I actually had a different idea for this, but... I love my fruits. What can I say? :D How else would one write the sense of taste, I wonder?... Either way, thank you all once again for staying with this fic until the end! And, as usual, constructive criticism is much appreciated! Thank you so much, loves!


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